You know my heart for prayer, and I know your hearts for prayer, so I could not wait to share this book with you!

Last year, I received an e-mail from a friend inviting me to contribute to Rob and Joanna’s new book, “A Mom’s Prayers for Her Son.” I couldn’t say yes fast enough because prayer, and more specifically, praying God’s Word, completely transformed my mother’s heart and changed our home.

A few months ago, I shared with you Rob’s first book, “A Dad’s Prayers for His Daughter.” And I am even more excited to share today’s book because now you have a matched set…whether you have a son or daughter, a grandson or grandaughter, or a niece or nephew, you have access to beautiful, powerful prayers to pray.

So many times we want to pray for our children, but we just don’t know how to pray or what to pray. This book teaches us how to pray for every area of their lives. And they fill the pages not only with prayer but also with stories (like the one I share about praying for my son, Bo) that help bring those prayers alive so you can see them at work in a real family.

I invited Joanna to stop by and share a message from her heart so that you could get to know her. So below, find a message from her heart to yours. At the end of her message, I invite you to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of their book, “A Mom’s Prayers for Her Son.”

Joanna, thank you for stopping by today.

Grab a Plate!

 A huge part of my life as a mom revolves around preparing food for the seven of us in my family. I create the shopping lists, shop the aisles of the grocery store, drive home and put it all away, and then create meals to put on the table from day to day. I try to keep each of the kid’s cravings in mind as I shop—chocolate milk, Honeycrisp apples, frozen fruit bars—because in some mysterious way, food says “love” to each of them.

We celebrate life together over food, too. Thanksgiving turkey and pie, Superbowl pizza and wings, birthday cake and ice cream–it’s impossible to separate our family’s connection with each other from the meals that we share.

This past summer we were thrilled to adopt our little boy. If we have ever had a reason to celebrate, it’s him! What’s tough, though, is that he has sensory processing issues with his mouth and food allergies as well. As much as we’ve embraced him into the heart of our family, he’s still on the outside looking in when it comes to sharing in our meals together. So many foods bring anxiety, tears, gagging, vomiting, itchy skin, or dangerous allergic reactions. The food=love equation isn’t working out so well for us!

As his mom I can become frustrated. His daily diet is better suited to a toddler than a big kid. His menu isn’t growing at the same pace as the rest of him. Even with therapy and persistence, progress is slow. He’s constantly hungry because hearty, filling foods are the hardest to swallow. I worry about the nutrients he’s missing out on, whether he’ll fit in at school, or if he’ll get sick. I worry that it will stay this way forever.

Watching him struggle reminds me, though, that I have areas where I’m slow to progress. Parts of my life and character that seem stuck in immaturity. Does a new social opportunity send me running back to the safety of familiar friends? Does humbling myself to admit my part in a marriage conflict make me choke? Do I hoard what’s on my “plate”, because fears about finances keep me from sharing what I have? Is the Bible so complex or confusing that I stick with simple, feel-good devotionals instead of in-depth study?

Just like I am eager to nourish my son and help him grow, God is eager to feed me—his daughter—and grow me into a woman of faith, wisdom, and love. The “food” he provides is the truth of his Word.

“…you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:15-17)

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)

What are you hungry for today? A sense of purpose? A closer, more intimate marriage? A breakthrough with your stubborn teenager? A deeper knowledge of your gifts and talents and where to use them? Relief from the pain of injury or disease? Peace despite the wounds of abuse in your past? Freedom from addiction to food, social media, shopping, or a destructive relationship? God holds out his Word, with all of his power to transform, heal, and satisfy every longing in our hearts. He invites us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

The big question is this: What is keeping us from feasting at God’s table? Let’s pray today for an eager appetite for his Word. A new palate that savors the deeper truths of Christ. The courage to pick up our forks and knives and dig into the meat God has for us.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

Joanna, it has been a blessing to hear from your heart today. Thank you!

Friends, we would love to give away a copy of her new book, A Mom’s Prayers for Her Son,” so please leave a comment today sharing  what keeps you from “feasting at God’s table,” from spending a few minutes in quiet time with Him. And then share one step you can take toward changing that (getting up a few minutes earlier, taking the first five minutes of lunch hour to open God’s Word, bringing you Bible to carpool line, etc.). We will choose one name to win a copy of her book.

** Joanna Teigen and her husband, Rob, are the co-authors of 88 Great Daddy-Daughter Dates, A Dad’s Prayers for His Daughter, and A Mom’s Prayers for Her Son. She enjoys homeschooling, marriage mentoring, and life and laughter with their five children. She makes her home in West Michigan.

Blessings,